Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-06-30
Tne n,ood.Thirssy Apaches.

EMPIRE RANCH, A. T., June l6, 1887.
EDITORS HERALD: In an editorial OF
your contemporary, the Tribune, OF the
llth we read the following:
Our readers will thankfully accept the
assurance given by General Miles tnat no
protracted or severe struggle Is likely 10 oe
had with the Apaches in consequence oi
the new disturbances. The character ne
gives these disturbances is not extremely
bad, and little. perhaps, would be thought
Of the disturbances themselves were not
the events and circumstances OF an lnuian
war OF magnitude fresh In memory zen
eral Miles, who came out OF that encounter
with much added reputation, we are lso V'
to believe, has no stomach for another ngnt
of the same kind that can pc avoloeu. nv
speaks i'm an interview with MIN yesteruay
by a reporter of this paper, with great
Kindness Of the Apsches, and is evi.
IDENTIFY inclined 10 excuse in part the mott
| recent Irregularities. The true mar OF War
is one who dislikes war Tor wars sake,
at all times; but In the vicinity 9d t,ars Tue
Apache reservation are men, not soioie.s,
who would be made happy by war agalnI.s p,
| the Indians that should never END save IN
the destruction of the last red man, Inc
military in this department are not lacklng sl
| in vigilance or timely severity, but tney
| are quite able to distinguish between III
| dian outrages and white mems encroacn,
ments; and where there Is somethihs VI
both, and the peace OF the frontier Is pro,
ken, they appear to know how to appoiuon
the blame, and how to suppress without un'
necessary bloodshed the tendency 10 gen
eral and revengeful conflict.
| As resident of this Territory for the
past nine years, and as one who has hac
the misfortune to see something OF tht
lfiendish work of the inhuman Apache,
1 appeal to you, in justice to the long
suffering people of Arizona. to accep
my truthful statement in refutation o
the untruthful and injurious article o
/, your contemporary.
We would like to ask the Iribun
what "encroachments' caused the las
outbreak! General Miles himself said
, was caused by "a tisDin spree, in whicl
,, the Indians had little misunderstood
: ing among themselves" 1t is yer.
pleasant for the ranchmen and miner
, in this country to know that wheneve
= the "poor Indian" at San Carlos enjoy
|. a little spree he is likely to 60 off on
sort of pleasure trip and kill few inno
! cent whites, just for pastime. l suppos
it does not amount to much, but If tn
brother, wife or father of the peacefu
editor of the Tribune happened to b
a among Llt VlCbiiis, Ao uiASht AoS> ~ -
, matter in a different light.
All the people Of this Territory ask
|, Justice alike to the whites and Indians
When an Indian murders q citizen |
cold blood, why should he not B
hanged. the same as though he onl
}. enjoyed the privileges of citizen
% this great government? But no; he
9 taken back safely to San Carlos and fe
It and clothed by our tender.hearted go'
y ernment, to be ready for the next al
o nual excursion.
VI The Tribune speaks of unnecessar
n bloodshed, etc. If there were any Ir
II dams killed during the last campaign
= Arizona, we never heard of them; b'
n their victims (men, women and children
n would make long list. We belie'
It General Miles, his officers and men a
= working hard to catch the hostiles, al
" we are we'll aware OF the difficulties
1t the undertaking. We claim that Il
70 Indian policy of the government
70 wrong, and that citizen is entitled
10 the same protection from his governme
10 whether he lives in New York or Al
:. zona. If the Apaches are to be kept
d reservations as wards of the govern
IS ment, the government should be he
{. responsible for their acts and for all &
blood they shed. 1t is very hard for {
settler on the frontier to have his hors
70 stolen and his cattle killed; but VIII
r. can repay him for the loss of his wife
K children, should they be killed by the
). fiends? The people of this Terrific
10 demand that the Apaches be remove
.. and if this Just demand is not heede
N the time will soon come when the peoI
ID will act for themselves. in We
n geance, but for self-preservation.
M " L. f.